


strangeness & charm

by perfectlyrose



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (love that that's already a tag tbh), Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Dhampir Keith, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Witch Shiro (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 03:43:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21264509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfectlyrose/pseuds/perfectlyrose
Summary: Keith boosts himself up onto the counter Shiro isn’t currently working on, ignoring the other man’s glare. “You need a vacation. Or to learn how to actually stick to your posted hours.”Shiro’s laugh is tight and stunted. He pushes his hair off his forehead only for it to flop back down. “Yeah, well, that’s not going to happen a week and a half out from Hallowe’en.”“You’re going to work yourself to death.”“Just the season for it, I’ll fit right in,” Shiro quips. He reaches for a bundle of herbs hanging from the ceiling and starts loading things into his large mortar.Keith is a dhampir hopelessly in love with his best friend, Shiro. Shiro is a powerful witch with a popular magical supply shop, but human through and through, or so Keith has always thought. One night, a week and a half before Hallowe'en, several truths come to light.





	strangeness & charm

**Author's Note:**

> for the lovely roe (@/onomatti) for the spooky exchange who requested witch!shiro! i hope you enjoy!!
> 
> big thanks to boot for the beta! ♥

Keith leans against the doorframe of Shiro’s workroom, watching him stare intently at his tablet, brow furrowed as he scrolls through something. There are bags under his eyes and the tuft of hair hanging over his forehead looks limper than normal.

Keith really wants to herd him into his apartment upstairs and tuck him into bed and make him stay there for at least twelve hours to get some  _ rest _ , but he knows Shiro won’t walk away when there’s work to be done.

He banishes the worry from his face and dredges up a smile — always easy to do when looking at Shiro. “Whatcha looking at?” he asks.

Shiro jumps, tablet clattering against the table as he scrambles to turn the screen off. He levels a glare at Keith, but it’s completely devoid of any actual venom. 

Keith’s grin widens. “Hey Shiro. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Most people knock,” Shiro says, arching an eyebrow.

Keith scoffs. “That would’ve startled you too. And when have I ever knocked?”

Shiro mutters something about vampires needing permission to enter and therefore knocking. He flips his tablet face down and turns towards Keith fully, fake scowl already fading into a smile.

“Good thing I’m a dhampir then,” Keith says with a sharp-toothed grin as he pointedly steps over the threshold into Shiro’s workroom. “And you know that only applies to places of residence.”

“ _ Feels _ like I live here half the time,” Shiro mutters.

Keith boosts himself up onto the counter Shiro isn’t currently working on, ignoring the other man’s glare. “You need a vacation. Or to learn how to actually stick to your posted hours.”

Shiro’s laugh is tight and stunted. He pushes his hair off his forehead only for it to flop back down. “Yeah, well, that’s not going to happen a week and a half out from Hallowe’en.”

“You’re going to work yourself to death.”

“Just the season for it, I’ll fit right in,” Shiro quips. He reaches for a bundle of herbs hanging from the ceiling and starts loading things into his large mortar.

“Shiro…”

“I’ll try to cut back after the Hallowe’en rush,” Shiro says in that almost-a-promise way he has perfected. “Maybe take a day off.”

Keith’s grip tightens on the wood counter. It creaks under his fingers and Shiro gives him a look. Keith lets go with a sheepish expression. He forgets that things don’t always hold up to the vampiric strength he’s still growing into. This workbench already has more than a few finger-shaped dents in it from previous memory lapses.

“You say that, but you’re going to immediately start prepping for Yule and you still won’t take a break,” Keith argues, leaning forward. His fingernails dig into his palms now that he’s not gripping the tabletop.

He’s honestly worried that Shiro is working himself to death. He’s only human and he’s not built for these kind of hours, no matter how much magic runs through his veins to keep him going.

It’s frustrating being in love with someone who refuses to take care of himself and also refuses to be taken care of most of the time.

Shiro sighs and goes back to mixing up whatever concoction he’s started. “I can’t just close. People rely on this shop. You know this, Keith.”

He does. They’ve had this argument several times this year alone. Shiro’s shop is the most reliable magical supply shop in the area, welcoming to people from all walks of life and heritage, not to mention the people who rely on his magically-enhanced herbal remedies.

Keith still doesn’t have to like it though, not when it means Shiro suffers for it.

He bites the inside of his cheek and counts to five before changing the subject. “So, what  _ were _ you looking at earlier? Closed it quick when I showed up.”

“Nothing,” Shiro answers far too quickly. Red blooms on his cheek, highlighting just how pale he is and making the scar across his nose stand out.

“Oh?” Keith asks, leaning forward. “Then why hide it?”

“I’m not hiding anything,” Shiro says. The blush has spread to the tips of his ears and Keith can hear his heart thudding too fast.

“I think you are.” He brings a hand to his chest and puts on his best fake scandalized expression. “Takashi Shirogane, were you reading porn at work again?”

Shiro’s whole face goes red and he flings his left hand towards the door, slamming it shut with a burst of magic. It’s rare that Shiro showcases his raw power like that, knowing it just raises questions that he prefers not to answer, but Keith loves the static in the air when he does.

“ _ Keith _ .”

Keith can’t hold back his laugh at the expression on Shiro’s face. “There’s no one out there, Shiro. Door’s locked.”

Shiro narrows his eyes. “How’d you get in then?”

Keith waves his hand vaguely. “Not important. What is important is that you were definitely reading the good stuff and you should send it to me later.”

“I wasn’t reading  _ porn _ ,” he chokes out. He glances away, eyes landing on the tablet in question. His fingers tighten on the pestle as his teeth dig into his bottom lip. “Not this time.”

Keith chuckles. “Then what’s got you all flustered, Shirogane?”

“Nothing. That tablet’s the digital version of my grimoire.”

“And that’s it?”

“I do research on it too, when I’m trying to come up with a new spell or remedy,” Shiro admits. “But you just caught me off guard. You know grimoires are private.”

Keith hums at the evasion. He’ll let it stand for now. “You almost done for the night? Thought we could grab dinner or something.”

He tries to keep it casual, keep everything sounding platonic. He’s extremely glad that his heartbeat is naturally slow and that Shiro shouldn’t be able to hear the slight uptick in its speed. Shiro always forgets to eat when he’s this busy, and this is one of the only ways Keith can trick him into taking care of himself.

Shiro grimaces. “I still have a few things to make and the shop hasn’t been organized for tomorrow morning, yet.”

“You need to eat.”

“I need to finish this.” Shiro starts portioning out the contents of his mortar, now ground down to a fine powder, into small plastic bags.

“When was the last time you ate?”

Shiro hesitates too long and Keith growls. He jumps down from the counter and stalks towards Shiro, grabbing his arm.

“Keith, what?”

“We’re going to get food. You are going to eat and spend an hour  _ not _ working and then you’re going to spend the half hour you need to clean up in here while I handle the shop and then you’re getting some sleep.”

Shiro scowls. “I don’t need—”

“When was the last time you slept for more than four hours, Shiro?”

Silence.

“You’re going to put yourself in an early grave, going like this,” Keith says quietly, anger draining out of him. The fact that he’s only going to have a set number of years with Shiro as it is, that he’s going to have to eventually bury him and figure out how to live in a world where he doesn’t exist, weighs heavy on him. It’s not something they ever talk about, but he knows Shiro is overly aware of the discrepancy in their lifespans as well.

“Where are we going for dinner?” Shiro asks, gentle as anything as he rests a hand over Keith’s.

“It’s late, the diner is about the only thing open at this point.”

“My favorite anyways,” Shiro says. “I could use a milkshake at this point. It’s been a  _ day _ .”

Keith dredges up a smile for him and leads the way out of the shop, not letting go of Shiro’s arm.

A milkshake, two oversized burgers, and a large plate of fries later, some of the tension is gone from Shiro’s face. They head back to Shiro’s shop, trading well-worn stories about their friends’ antics.

Shiro’s keys jangle as he hangs them on the hook by the back door and he sighs as he looks around his workroom. “Still have a couple mixes I need to get done tonight.”

“Can they wait until morning?” Keith can see Shiro’s energy finally waning.

“Promised to have them done tonight so they can be picked up first thing,” Shiro says, moving to get started.

And Keith has never once known Shiro to break a promise once he makes it, no matter how inconsequential it seems. It’s one of the things Keith loves about him and also one of his enduring mysteries.

“Okay, just do it quick. I’ll get the store set up for tomorrow while you finish up in here,” Keith says. “Do you have the inventory list for me to check?”

Shiro picks up one of his tablets from the table and hands it to Keith without looking, eyes already running over ingredients on the worktable as he figures out what he needs for his next remedy.

Keith thumbs the power button, expecting Shiro’s meticulously organized inventory list to greet him. He decidedly does not expect the screen to blink awake to a supernatural and magical creatures forum that he’s familiar with. He’s  _ really _ not expecting a thread on dhampirs and their compatibility with other types of hybrids to be staring back at him or that this is what Shiro was apparently reading when Keith interrupted him earlier.

“Shiro?” His voice comes out as a squeak.

“What’s wro—,” Shiro cuts off as he turns and sees exactly what Keith is looking at. “Shit. I can, um, explain? Maybe?”

“Do you know another dhampir by chance?” Keith chokes out, eyes inexorably drawn back down to the tablet and the dozen or so comments about half werewolves and part banshees and sirens and selkies. All wondering if it was a safe mix for them and dhampirs to pursue a relationship or if their inherent magics and abilities would combine into something nasty or unintentionally toxic.

Shiro shakes his head. “No.”

“Then why…” Keith drags his eyes up and looks at his best friend, the love of his life. Shiro can’t be wondering for himself. He’s fully human as far as Keith knows — a very powerful witch, unmatched really, but 100% human. Besides, they’ve been friends for  _ years _ and Shiro’s never shown an interest in being anything more. Keith would’ve noticed.

Shiro lets out a long breath, tangling his fingers in his forelock and tugging before pushing it back. It’s a tell for when Shiro’s extremely anxious about something. “I promise I’ll tell you, just let me finish this first. Then we can go upstairs and talk over a drink?”

Keith nods. If Shiro promises, he’ll do it. “Give me the actual inventory this time?”

He takes the correct tablet from Shiro and steps into the shop proper to prepare it for the next day, mind whirling. It takes half an hour to restock the shelves and make sure everything is in place for opening in the morning. Shiro is waiting by the back door when Keith returns, fidgeting with his sleeves.

“Ready?” Shiro asks.

“If you are,” Keith replies. His stomach is in knots and his heart is beating faster than he can ever remember it going. Shiro could’ve blown this off as simple curiosity, as a client with a question he was researching, but he hadn’t. This was about  _ Keith _ and he didn’t know how yet.

Shiro quickly ushers him out into the small hallway behind the work room, turning off the workroom lights and locking the door with both keys and a whispered warding spell. He then heads up the stairs to his apartment; Keith follows close behind.

The clatter of Shiro’s keys as they land in the small bowl on the entryway table once they’re safely ensconced in the apartment makes Keith flinch. Shiro doesn’t seem to notice, preoccupied with toeing off his shoes.

“Do you want a drink?” Shiro asks already walking towards the kitchen as Keith struggles to get his boots off.

“Am I going to need one?”

“I have that vampire liqueur you like. The one made with blood.”

In other words, the one that Keith won’t immediately metabolize like he does with human liquor. Apparently Shiro does in fact think he’ll need a drink, though he has to wonder why Shiro has vampire liqueur on hand when it’s not something he’d ever consume himself.

“Sure,” Keith calls back as he claims the armchair in Shiro’s living room. What if Shiro doesn’t know another dhampir but has been having a full-blooded vampire over?

He sniffs the air, but doesn’t catch the scent of anyone but Shiro and a hint of his own scent from his last visit a week ago.

“I actually bought this for your birthday but I feel like opening it now is justified,” Shiro tells him, handing the cut-crystal tumbler with a couple fingers of dark red liqueur to Keith.

“Only a few days early,” Keith says. He swirls the drink, listening to the ice clink against crystal.

“Yeah.” Shiro takes a careful seat on the couch and then a long sip of his Jameson and ginger. “So.”

“So,” Keith echoes. “You were, um, looking stuff up about dhampirs?” He’s pretty sure that if he were capable of having sweaty palms, that would be happening right now. He feels some compulsion to wipe them against his jeans regardless. He takes another sip of his spicy-sweet drink instead.

Shiro nods.

“Why?”

Keith can hear the rabbiting of Shiro’s heart before he says, “Because it was easier to look up than information on faes.”

Keith blinks at him, not expecting that turn. “You know a fae?” He thinks back to the thread Shiro was reading. “A part-fae?”

The fae, and those who have fae blood, tend to keep to themselves. Tend to keep their lineage a secret. Too many in today’s society, even as accepting of mixed lineages and varied supernatural bloodlines, hold only disdain and distrust for the fae.

Shiro nods again.

“Do I know them?”

“Yes.” Shiro takes another drink, looking wildly uncomfortable.

“And you were looking to see if there were any potential complications between dhampirs and part-fae because....” That’s the part Keith doesn’t understand. Shiro would ask before telling someone to ask Keith out. He never pushes dates at Keith like some of their other friends do. Why would he start now?

“Because they’re interested in you,” Shiro says, staring at the melting ice in his glass. Keith hears the glass creak as metal fingers tighten around it. “Romantically.”

“Oh.” Keith is at a loss. “Okay?”

Shiro looks up at that, incongruous hope in his eyes. “Okay?”

The tension crackles between them. “I don’t understand,” Keith says finally. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Shiro bites his lips before admitting, “I was scared, Keith.”

“Of what?” He wishes his voice didn’t crack over the second word, but the emotions are getting to him. He’s never quite had to face the fact that Shiro’s not interested in him quite like this. He's never had the person he loves more than anything research his compatibility with another before.

Shiro looks at him incredulously. “You know how people treat the fae, Keith, even those who are only about an eighth. People look at you differently once they know. They treat you differently. It’s a fine line. Too fae to be trusted, not fae enough to be accepted by the full and half-blooded fae.”

“I’d never treat anyone differently just because of their heritage,” Keith says.

“I just… I was nervous. Am nervous,” Shiro says. He takes another drink before meeting Keith’s gaze, eyes glinting silver. “I didn’t want you to start looking at me differently. I didn’t want to risk the best thing in my life.”

Keith feels like his world has just twisted itself into focus as the words settle between them. “Wait.  _ You’re _ part-fae? I thought you were human!”

Shiro flinches. “I am. Mostly.”

“Shit, I didn’t mean it like that,” Keith says, scrambling to catch up to his mouth. “Shiro, I didn’t know you were talking about  _ you _ .”

“Oh.” Shiro looks away. “I guess that answers that then. Guess I didn’t need to do that research.” His laugh is five shades too self-deprecating for Keith’s liking.

Keith is slotting in all he knows about the fae as fact instead of rumor and comparing it to Shiro, seeing all the ways Shiro always kept every little promise, the ways he avoids making them when he could. There are a million little things that suddenly make sense except…

“ _ You’re _ interested in  _ me _ ?” Keith blurts out.

Shiro winces. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Can we just forget this happened? You’re my best friend, Keith. I can’t lose you to something like this.”

Keith feels like someone’s punched him in the chest and then handed him his life’s greatest wish. “Shiro. I’ve been in love with you for  _ years _ , you great big idiot. I didn’t think you’d ever see me like that.”

Shiro looks caught between being shellshocked and joyous, eyes shining and mouth agape. He has to open and close it a few times before he manages to speak again. “Really? Even now that you know about…”

“Of course. It just makes a lot of things make more sense,” Keith hurries to assure him. He sets his glass down on the side table and moves over to sit next to Shiro on the couch. 

“Probably could’ve gotten through this conversation with less confusion,” Shiro mulls as he sets his drink aside as well.

“Probably. But I think we got here in the end.” Keith leans closer, tentatively lays his hand on Shiro's thigh.

"And here is… together?" Shiro asks hopefully.

"Sure hope so," Keith says. "Can I kiss you?"

"Please."

Keith leans in and kisses him carefully, softly, suddenly hyperaware of his fangs. Shiro lets the kiss stay soft for a few blissful moments before he buries his fingers in Keith's hair and licks into his mouth.

Insistent hands tug at Keith and he eagerly follows their direction straight into Shiro’s lap and he’s not sure he ever wants to leave. The energy crackling between them is more addictive than the static charge of Shiro’s magic.

Later, they can talk about what this all means. About how Shiro’s fae blood affects how much time they have together and what Shiro’s research actually turned up. About what they are to each other. But right now, and for the foreseeable future they have each other and Keith can’t think of anything more magical.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/LionessNapping)!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [something appears (the strangeness & charm remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26867455) by [bog gremlin (tomatocages)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomatocages/pseuds/bog%20gremlin)


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